Determined to give back
April 1, 2014Joe and Abby Berger
Joe Berger is an offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings and in his tenth season in the NFL. But he’s also a Newaygo High School graduate who has not forgotten the important role his family and home community played in his success.
“I walked on in college, I didn’t have a football scholarship,” Joe said. “My whole family has a part in where I ended up. So does this community. I received three scholarships from the Community Foundation and I know how important they were to my future.”
In addition to his career in the NFL, Joe holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Tech.
Determined to give back and to demonstrate the importance of giving to their three young children, Joe and Abby (Murray) Berger created the Berger Family Scholarship at Fremont Area Community Foundation. It is awarded to two scholar-athletes each year—one from Newaygo High School and one from Grant High School, Abby’s alma mater.
“We set up this scholarship to give someone else a chance to get to school,” said Joe. “Since the Community Foundation helped me, I wanted to help someone else persevere and have a chance to succeed.”
